Prep baseball: Hot start doesn’t last for Fremont in playoff bout with Corner Canyon
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- Fremont senior Garet Jones takes a swing during a 6A state baseball matchup vs. Corner Canyon on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, at BYU’s Miller Field in Provo.
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- Fremont junior Brant Koford fires off a pitch against Corner Canyon during a 6A state baseball matchup on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, at BYU’s Miller Field in Provo.
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- Fremont sophomore Kasen Pearson slides into third base during a 6A state baseball matchup vs. Corner Canyon on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, at BYU’s Miller Field in Provo.
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- Fremont senior Max Johnson adjusts his helmet during a 6A state baseball matchup vs. Corner Canyon on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, at BYU’s Miller Field in Provo.
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- The Fremont baseball team watches from the dugout during a 6A state baseball matchup vs. Corner Canyon on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, at BYU’s Miller Field in Provo.
PROVO -- A fast start for Fremont baseball soon turned rocky in a 10-5 loss to No. 10 Corner Canyon in 6A state tournament bracket play Tuesday at BYU.
Losing an early two-run lead, the No. 6 Silverwolves (19-10) played catch-up with the Chargers (18-11) for the remainder of the afternoon as Fremont worked three arms across the mound. Premier starter Brant Koford (1.1 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, K) recorded the loss.
Fremont coach Garrett Clark couldn't have been more pleased with his group's start, as the Silverwolves lept to a 2-0 lead thanks to senior Max Johnson's two-RBI double in the first -- a lead evaporated as the Chargers heated up with seven RBI in the second.
Still, Clark felt the tight playoff schedule factored in his guys getting caught off guard.
"That's what happens in the playoffs when guys are going on shorter rest than normal," Clark said. "Everybody's legs are a little more tired than normal and it was a little tricky. ... I've gotta give Corner Canyon credit. They were hot man, punching everything we threw."
A hot second inning began with a two-run homer by senior Rylan Dunn and ended with a two-RBI triple knocked into play by junior Andrew Nice for a comfortable five-run Chargers lead, resulting in Koford's early exit.
Relievers Kanyon Pratt and Chase Jones managed to tame Corner Canyon at the plate, and Fremont chipped away at its deficit through the next three frames. Three RBIs between senior Brigg Grange (single), junior Tyson Grieve (groundout), and senior Garet Jones (sacrifice flyout) cut the Chargers' lead down to two runs at the start of the fifth.
Clark commended Jones (3.1 IP, H, R, ER, 4 BB, 4 K) for stepping up and dealing in his first appearance of the season. Fremont's coach has high expectations for the junior arm next year.
"We're so excited for him," Clark said. "We've got so many guys that he hasn't got to pitch a lot at the varsity level. ... He handled that great and it's a great sign of things to come."
Following a scoreless fifth, Corner Canyon bumped its lead to 8-5 in the sixth on a sacrifice fly, reeling home senior Ryder Florence from third. Silenced through the sixth, Fremont dished up two more runs to the Chargers in the seventh on a pair of RBI singles by Florence and sophomore Garrett Downing.
Fremont entered the bottom of the seventh with a now-widened 10-5 hole and dug up few opportunities for resolve. Three infield hits all turned up dust, however, as the Chargers strolled into tomorrow's semifinal seat.
Back at it Wednesday, Fremont and No. 3 Mountain Ridge duke it out for a spot with Corner Canyon at the end of bracket play. First pitch is set for 11 a.m. at BYU.
BOX ELDER 7, MURRAY 5
OREM -- No. 14 Box Elder scored three runs in the top of the seventh inning for a come-from-behind win over No. 7 Murray (21-6) in a 5A elimination game at UVU.
Damon Rodriguez batted 2 for 4 with a double and two RBIs for Box Elder (18-15). Landen Golmon batted 2 for 3 with a double. KJ Argyle and Ryan Griffin each had two hits and drove in one. Argyle pitched a complete game with eight hits, four earned runs and five strikeouts.
BE advances to play at 11 a.m. Wednesday in an elimination game against No. 6 Salem Hills.
MOUNTAIN RIDGE 6, DAVIS 5
PROVO -- Max Hunter hit a two-run double for No. 2 Davis but it wasn't enough in a 6A elimination game loss to No. 3 Mountain Ridge (21-8) at BYU.
Gavin Jacks batted 2 for 3 for Davis. Carter Knight hit a single and drove in two. Owen Talbot was hit by pitch three times and scored three runs.
Davis ends the year with a 22-7 record.
RIVERTON 8, SYRACUSE 2
PROVO -- No. 8 Syracuse committed three errors and gave up three unearned runs, and No. 4 Riverton (21-8) eliminated the Titans in a 6A one-loss game using a three-run fifth inning to pull away.
Easton Hamblin singled and drove in both runs for Syracuse. Broc Hopkins hit 2 for 4 with a double and a run scored. Austin Burton doubled and scored a run. Carson Miles also doubled.
Syracuse ends the season with a 15-13-1 record.
Justin B. Johnson and Brett Hein contributed to score reports.